On Thursday, October 30th, high school boys and girls competed under the lights in the hopes of winning the Quidditch tournament. Quidditch, one of Harriton High School’s biggest events of the year, complemented the spirit of Halloween with a Harry Potter-themed competition between the Hogwarts Houses: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Gryffindor.

One might ask, how exactly does Quidditch work for those of us who are largely bound to the ground? The object of the game is to throw a ball through an elevated hoop with one hand while holding a pool noodle, simulating a flying broom, with the other.

The teams had practice for 2 weeks in preparation for the big night. Students, Harry Potter fans, and parents all showed up to show support for the players and teams. There were teachers, a large snack stand, and even people decked out in Harry Potter gear. Indeed, it was a night to remember.

The first match was between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Gryffindor, led by captain Sarah Depillis, dominated most of the match. However, captain Emily Rush and the rest of Ravenclaw put up a mighty fight. They almost came back to win the game, but they couldn’t finish the job. The final score was 8-7, Gryffindor.

In the second match of the first round, it was a showdown between Nick Johnson’s Slytherin and Maura Henderson’s Hufflepuff. Slytherin showed endurance throughout the entire game, winning by a score of 8-5. The three seed Hufflepuff team was not able to execute, while Slytherin looked like they had been working together for an entire year.

For the second year in a row, the final match came down to Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Would the high-power offense of Gryffindor reign supreme or would Slytherin ruin the fun and become champions for 2 years in a row?

The game went back and forth. No team gave an inch; it seemed like a stalemate. In fact, after 30 minutes, the game was tied at 7-7! In order to determine a winner, the game went into overtime.

Finally, in a brave-heart, one-on-one overtime Gryffindor got the edge and scored, making them the Quidditch champions of 2014!

However, for everyone, winning was just a bonus to this cold October night.

As United States Government teacher Mr. Robinson stated, “It will be a night when you look back on your high school experience and say to yourself, ‘Yeah, I remember playing Quidditch! I remember how great of a time I had!’”

And certainly, whether you were playing Quidditch, delivering witty jokes from the announcers’ box, or simply watching it from the stands, it was definitely a night to remember.